This and That

I had just finished a mountain of dishes, when I remembered I needed to find an un-finished project that needs done ASAP.  I spent about a half hour  finding the project, but no pattern.

Well, I need to organize my patterns on a day I have nothing important on the to-do list.  I could not, for the life of me, find the pattern anywhere.  Of course, the house is in chaotic order right now, but I am thankful it was still on the internet.  Whew!

Today's morning project - bagging garlic to fend of raccoons and deer.  Be sure not to put this near some vegetables that do not like garlic.  I am also hanging in the fruit trees.  Someone told us they do this and it works.  We'll find out if it works or not.  I bought some cheap garlic from the store to do this project.

I have spent some time searching for close, fun destinations for my husband and I.  He sometimes has a day off, some weeks not.  I am having fun finding about new things to do and visit on his day off, and still get a few things done here at the homestead.

Meanwhile, the herb garden and flower beds are weed fests.  I have to wait for the rain to stop, and the beds to dry up just a bit, and then I will tackle those.

Rain ~ Baking Day ~ Mowing Day

 Although we didn't get a lot of rain during the day yesterday, we got a good amount last night.

I took advantage of it, and did some baking.  I make Mom's favorite snack (just because), and I tried a new recipe (as well as a 2 crock pot dinner - hot pepper mustard sauce over meatballs in one and sweet potatoes/thyme/garlic in another).

The new recipe?  Bacon, cheese, jalapeno bread.  I used the frozen jalapenos from last year's garden, estimating "2" jalapenos, and left the seeds in (that is the way I freeze them).  We both loved it!  I'm adding the recipe to my "taco" night family get together.  It took time to make it, and a lot of ingredients, but so good!  I added the optional green onion, because the herb garden is producing well, although needs weeded badly.

Daughter K arrived for another pick up, but did not bring her trash bags down stairs.  I was busy in the kitchen, and didn't realize it until she already left.  Anyway, more is out of my front room and upstairs.

Painting continues.  I can only paint one thing on the saw horses due to humidity, and the AC remains off.  The mowing was done.  There was a window of opportunity in the day, where the sun came out, before the rain came back.

I worked for a bit in the utility room, but that is limited due to all the bathroom stuff put in there.  We are still waiting on our hired help to start gutting the smaller bathroom, which reminds me, we still need to buy the flooring for in there.

The garden is in!!

 The garden is finally in.  I just have to drop some zinnia and dill seeds this morning before it rains, and put my garden cart back where it belongs.

I bought a pack of 25 wooden, 5 foot tomato stakes online and got it shipped free to the house.  Funny story about the tomatoes.  

I was planting when Daughter K called.  She asked if she would be the one getting any extra slicer tomatoes.  I would always grow them for Mom.  Guess who hopped in the truck and went and bought her a plant in the middle of planting?  Yep. That was me, but I also got me an extra hot banana, as mine did not all sprout.

You know it was a long day in the garden, when you don't see me post so early today.  I slept very well, ha ha!

Our friend came over and cleaned all the metal out of the burn pile.  He loaded up his truck and that job is done as well.

I painted one more cabinet door, and cleaned some of a junk drawer out.  Then I called it a night.

We have one kitchen drawer, that my husband dubbed his.  Well, the tracks keep breaking on it, due to the weight in it.  He tried to blame it on me, but guess who took all the tools, and heavy stuff out?  Yeah, I did.

I sent him a photo of this, and asked what the heck does this go to?  He had no idea.  Guess where it went?  I ran it outside before our friend left and added it to his scrap pile, ha ha!  The garage and all his tools will be so organized by fall.  I found my water spigot splitter that I lost years ago too,  ha ha!  Anyway, that drawer is painted and back in place.

The rain is to arrive around noon today, and the garden will love it.  Oh, by the way, the Etsy seller that was the only one I could find online with organic music garlic, fizzled out.  Order was never shipped, and I got zero responses from sending messages.  So....I had to go into my stash left from last year and plant asap.  I had to cut the amount down by about 20 cloves, but it's planted.  Tomatoes rank at the number 112 this year. All paste, but 2 slicer plants and one cherry tomato.

I planted 55 hot peppers, and one is new - golden cayenne.  Planted 33 bell peppers, and two types of lettuce.  We didn't get to plant everything we wanted this year like peas and potatoes, but I'm happy with what I got in considering everything that was going on this year.

I finally got the herbs planted as well, and after the rain will tackle weeding it, as well as the flower beds.

This and That

Last week I tried a new all-in-one crock pot meal - spaghetti and meatballs (with homemade ingredients).  We did not like it.  The pasta cooked too long for our taste.

My husband and I enjoyed another harvest of asparagus.  I don't know that we'll gut much more.  I'm so glad we tilled and are expanding this in the garden.

My to-do list has increased like you would not believe.  I am being told that my husband may not get the holiday off work now.  Not sure the honey-do list will happen.  So frustrated with this schedule this year.

I happened to check my fit bit and account associated with our insurance and his work.  They increased the points from 3000 to 4000, so I have to find out if the absolute required increased from 1000.  That would not be good, considering the amount of work I am doing on my own with the gardens.

Happy Homemaker Monday

I am so thankful I have my husband, and his full and complete support in life.  No matter what is stressing me, he is always there for me, even with this long, long hours at work.

He continues to work (coffee pot is pre-set for 4:15am) 12 hour days, 6 days a week, with about an hour to work and back.  If someone asks for his help with something, it needs to be super important, because he is exhausted when he arrives home.  He only gets one day off, and yesterday we had a date.

Many people also assume I have all the free time in the world, because I am not employed.  I'm frankly tried of explaining how busy I am lately as well.  Between the garden, the kitchen painting, herb garden, and flower beds, I am exhausted by 6pm.  Sunday was a well over due sanity saver day off with my husband.

Well, most of the day off.  We worked on a list of things that had to be done up until about 11:30am, and I got 3 things out of the garage we don't use anymore as well.

Today I am joining Sandra at Diary of a Stay at Home Mom.

I will join up when she posts.

The weather . . .

Back to beautiful 70's.

As I look outside my window . . .

My herb garden is such a hot mess of weeds, and there is more to be planted in all of the gardens - vegetable, herb and flower.

Right now I am . . .

Getting ready to post this.

Thinking and pondering . . .

...about a long vacation next year due to the long work hours this year, the closing on the sale of Mom's house is tomorrow, not sure we'll get to go camping this year

How I am feeling . . .

Rejuvenated, but not looking forward to the next few weeks. There has been talk of my husband getting no days off now.

On the breakfast plate . . .

Leftover homemade blueberry pancakes, local blueberry sausages and organic coffee.

On my reading pile . . .

Haven't had time to read.

On my TV this week . . .

Smokey and the Bandit

On the menu . . .

-pork chops, home grown asparagus
-tacos, queso
-have no idea for the rest yet.

Looking around the house . . .

...so much to do yet

The to-do list . . .

-do a quick check on laundry
-floors
-paint
-start working in the utility room of what I can for now

-gather items that need loaded for another donation drop

-while paint dries, clean up back porch, plant in the gardens

From the camera . . .

Oddly, nothing

Prayers . . .

Our friend Aaron.  He continues to heal from on infection after surgery.

Tidbits

I finally moved my Mom's plants from my bedroom to the living room. However, they will have to be moved to the kitchen somewhere to start ripping out the carpet and investigating the floor issue in that room.  

We are delayed on the kitchen bathroom, due to our hired help continuing to heal from a hernia surgery.  I am delaying the painting of that bathroom door until that is completed.  It will be easier to paint the door off the hinges anyway, and easier to gut it with the door off.

I got 99 tomato plants planted (yes, by myself), but 11 more need tomato stakes.  I went to one TSC location and they wanted $4.59 per 5 foot wooden stake.  Let's just say I'm still looking for them at a reasonable price.

I picked up my kitchen cabinet door that I had a piece of glass installed.  They only charged me $15.00 for it, and I was so happy.  I'll be back there to have screens re-screened soon.  They are local and do a great job.

I plan to cover the glass in the cabinet door with an etched peel and stick design.  

The heat will lower tomorrow, after todays storms, so that will be a relief.  I need to work on the mess upstairs as well as paint, and it can get hot up there.  The nearest Humane Society is doing their big garage sale days and taking donations, so I want to get whatever they left boxed up and donated.

Storms are moving in the area, so I will not being running any errands.  I had to move any remaining garden plants indoors until it passes.  All outdoor work is delayed for now.

Crazy Busy!

 

Update on my desk area in the kitchen.  I absolutely love it!  I painted the inside of the kitchen front door the same color as well.

I have to paint above the window, and the computer can be finally moved back where it was.  I put peel and stick barnwood on the computer keyboard tray as well.

On top of the kitchen painting, I have the gardens to work in.  I still need to get the peppers in, have to weed and plant in the herb garden and flower beds.

I spent the day painting, putting laundry out, and cleaning more upstairs.  I took 3 garbage bags down, plus brought 3 large boxes down to use in the garden under the grow bags.  I took a small shelf unit downstairs to the roadside and hope someone will take it.

We are not liking these long work hours my husband has.  His to-do list is growing, so I am googling on the "how to" and doing some things myself.

Once I'm done in the kitchen we start on gutting the rest of the smaller bathroom.  We are both worried we will have to do work on the sub floor in there, but once it's done we will have peace of mind.

I sent an SOS to the girls, to come help clean the upstairs.  They both work long hours and one has a 1 hour drive.  Gas is not cheap, so that's an issue for the both of them on their pay scale.

Ground beef was at a limit the other day at the closest grocery store.  I had to pay a whopping $18 for a motion sensor light for the garden, and we need one more.  I have not turned on the AC yet, but it will be up in the 90's today.  I will be cleaning one AC today, but hoping I don't have to turn it on, on account of the cost of our electricity.

Meanwhile, my house is a complete maze to walk thru.  I try and put things back where they belong daily, but duty calls almost every day.  It's been super crazy busy.  I do not like doing the garden all by myself this year at all.  I'm told that these work hours may last until September now.  It's not what either of us wanted to hear.